How do we support Africa's rising generation of leaders?

Corruption, terrorism and globalised business will all be addressed at a Bible conference starting in Ghana today.

The African Biblical Leadership Initiative (ABLI), hosted by the Bible Society of Ghana, will also look at how to place the BIble at the heart of leadership.

Lord Paul Boateng, the former British High Commissioner to South Africa and a former cabinet minister, is moderating the forum. He will be joined by senior church leaders, NGOs and delegates from throughout Africa and across the world.

Ghana's President, John Dramani Mahama, will open the conference.

General Secretary of the Bible Society in Ghana, Erasmus Odonkor, says he hopes ABLI will pull together church leaders and Christians to speak out more boldly for Biblical standards of integrity, honesty and accountability.

"ABLI will call for a form of leadership that serves the people of Africa – a leadership that is transparent and rejects corruption in every way."

ABLI is expected to lend its support to an initiative calling on world leaders to demand greater transparency from the multi-nationals who exploit Africa's mineral resources.

It will also ask the question: 'Is the Church losing its impact in Africa and Ghana?' and explore such issues as women in leadership.

ABLI is an initiative of the British and Foreign Bible Society, which wants to support the rising generation of African leaders.

"These are people in their 30s who are taking up leadership positions in commerce, industry and the public square," said Bible Society CEO James Catford.

"They don't want to participate in corruption. They don't want to build big empires for themselves. I'm impressed with these people, many of whom have been educated overseas, who are coming home because they want to build their countries."